Special shipping surcharge for a few products

Hi. I run Zen Cart 1.3.9h on Windows
my website is: https://www.jkdunlimited.com/store
Usually I use the Zone rates module.
I am adding some products to my "equipment" page. Those are very heavy items that require a special shipping charge.
I'm trying to figure out how to add that special charge so I don't have to bill my customers separately.

I thought of using the Free shipping option and then use the Attribute controller to add the shipping charge (option name: shipping surcharge/ option value: 48 contiguous states, Hi/AK).
BUT I don't want the customer being confused on the listing seeing "free shipping" in big red letters.

If I use the zone rates as usual, then there is no way to know what the surcharge would be in the attribute controller since the rate added by the cart will vary depending on whether the order is for US or International customers.

Any idea on how to make sure the cart does not add any shipping charges so I can just set the surcharge as an attribute?

Thank you. Sarah

You could get the shipping add on Zones Table Rate
http://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=478

and you can create specific Zone Definitions with the DETAILS for each Zone ...

Then if you still need specific customizations, it can be done for the specific Zone Definition ...

NOTE: first make all of your Zone Definitions with your DETAILS for each, then install it ...

Thank you for helping.
I figured out a workaround that will do for now. I didn't trust myself doing what you suggested yet. Might be a little over my head. :-)
Thanks for helping.
Aloha!

i am very interested in your workaround, but also in a good solution of course.

For me the same challenge:
For a particular group of items I would like to an additional (packaging) charge calculated at the moment that it needs to be sent. This is because the volume and additional packaging costs. When the article is to be picked up / collected at the shop, the extra packaging costs aren't necessary.

I currently use the flat rate for The Netherlands: packages up to 10 kg 6.75. However when this particular article should be sent for example 7.50 extra packaging costs have to be added. For international I use the shipping zones. The same goes here.

Hello.
First let me say I am not an expert at Zen Cart. I only use it for my own store and have learned through the PDF manual.
What I did for my case, was edit my zone rates and added the specific weight and corresponding shipping rate for those few items that were very heavy. Before my zone rates ended at 10lbs. Then I added 70:90, 110:135 etc...
That's for my Zone 1 USA.
Unfortunately, zone rates only allows for countries not regions, so I couldn't set up different rate for the continental US and then Hi/Ak.
My workaround was to add an option name: Shipping surcharge, and option value: 48 contiguous states, option value: Hawaii/Alaska.
I then added the amount of extra shipping needed for each item shipped to Hi/Ak and the customer can select that when checking out.
You can see it here:
http://jkdunlimited.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14&products_id=82

I am asking my customers to order those bulky items on their own as they drop ship directly from manufacturers.
If they were to add one of the bulky items with one of the regular items, then my system would not work.
So this is definitely not an ideal system, but one I can live with for now. As I receive orders, I'll see if I need to make some adjustments.

Hope this helps!

thanks Sarah.

I did also some changes on weight of these particular items, and the zones, and for now it is working. At least is seams so.